Automatic water-heater



' G; S. WALKER.

AUToMATlC WATER HEATER.

APPUCAUON FIILED AUG. I4. |915.

Patented Feb. 10,1920.

WJTNESSES we? GILBERT S. WALKER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Application filed August 14, 1915. Serial No. 45,511.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT S. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, (whose post-oflice address is American Society Mechanical Engineers, 29 Vest 39th St., New York, N. Y.,) have invented a new and useful improvement in Automatic Tater-Heaters, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic water heaters.

The primary object of my invention is to produce a device whereby the flow of water is automatically controlled by the thermostat and also to control the flow of gas to the burners in a simple manner.

One ofthe advantages of my invention is economizing the consumption not only of gas but also of water. An additional advantage is that the two sides of the piston be ing in direct communication respectively with the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet, the Jfriction of the coils is utilized in operating the piston, thus reducing the total loss of head through the heater.

In the accompanying drawings l show one embodiment of my invention` in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device applied to a heater, part of the shell being removed.

F ig. 2 is a sectional view looking in the same direction and showing the thermostat and both valves in normal position, ready for operation.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the gas valve.

Fig. 4 is a section through the piston looking in the same direction as Fig. 3.

Referring to said drawings: 1 indicates the shell of the heater, 2 is the usual coil located within said shell, 3 is the usual burner or burners located immediately below said coil for heating water passing` through the coil, 4 is a thermostat preferably placed in the outlet of the lower section of the coil and may be of any of the usual types of construction, 5 is the water' inlet which is led into the upper end of the water valve chamber 6. In said chamber is fitted a valve 7, to

open and close the port 8 and control the ton may be provided with a small relief valve r or any equivalent means of prevent-` ing it from exerting excessive pressure on in an open position.

`9 and water valve 7 together so that normally they act as one piece in the usual manner. The spring 12 is strong enough to overcome the spring 3S in the gas valve chamber, but is notV so strong vthat when its effect is multiplied through the levers it might injure the thermostat.` The lower part of said valve stem 10 preferably passes through a stuffing box 13 in the lower enol of the water valve chamber, and is connected to the levers hereinafter more particularly described.

In the lower end of lthe'piston chamber 6, which, in the form illustrated, is also the water valve chamber, there is asmall opening 14, a communicating passage 15, a small throttle valve 16, and a continuation of said passage to an opening 17 into the hot water outlet pipe 18, all of which are arranged to allow the escape of and admission of water below the piston at any desired speed. The main port 8 communicates by means of the pipe 19 with the inlet to the coil 2. i

A thermostat may Lbe placed outside the shell in which case the usual water circulation should be provided, to convey hea-t from the burners to the thermostat when no water is flowing through the heater, but the thermostat is preferably placed inside the shell where it willbe heated by the burners.v One end ofthe thermostat communicates with the lower end of the coil andthe other end communicates with the hot water outlet 18.

The thermostat may be of any of the usual v heaters. The type shown in the drawingsv has an outer tube 20 preferablyfof copper and an inner tube 21 proferably of thevsame material. The left end of the inner tube 21 is closed and the right ends of both tubes are securely fastened to a frame 22. Within the inner tube is a porcelain rod 23vforced against the left endof theinner tubeA 21 a flow vfrom the faucet. increases, the port will be opened farther and farther, "delivering 'water at practical-1y lever 24. The lower end of the lever 24 bears against an adjusting screw 25 and its upper end bears against a second lever 26, This second lever fulcrums on a knife edge 27 at its left end while its right end bears against an intermediate point of the floating lever 28. The left end of the floating lever 28 is flexibly and adjustably connected the lower end of the valve stem' 10 by means of a pivot 219, a double link 30 and a nut 3l threaded on the valve stein l0. 'The link 30 is merely to permit the s .iall transverse movements ofthe parts which occur when the device operates. c

The right hand end of the floating lever 28 is connected to the lower end of the gas valve stem 32 by means of a pivot 33, a link 34 and a nut 35. A gas valve 36 is secured to the upper end of the valve stein 32 and is held against its seat 37 by gravity or by a spring 38.

A gas supply pipe 39 enters the upper chamber 40 and a gas pipe 4l conducts the gas from the lower chamber 42 to the burners 3. A small gas pipe 43 conducts gas through a valve 44 to the pilot light 45. A screwstop 46 controls the amount of lift of the gas valve 36 and may be adjusted so as to limit the movement of the water valve 7 when the thermostat is cold. rlhe movement ofthe piston 9 and through it the water valve v7 is also limited by the screw stop 47. A frame 22 fastens all parts to the heater shell.

The operation is as follows:

The drawings showrall parts in their normal positions as when no water is being drawn and all parts have become cool. Upon opening any faucet on the hot water line 18, the water pressure is reduced in the small pipe l5 and in the lower part of the chamber 6 and the piston 9 will descend, the floating lever 28 pivoting on the end of the second thermostatic lever 26 will raise the gas valve 36 against the pressure of the spring 38 until stopped by screw 46. If the screw 46 is properly set and the thermostat remains below the predetermined temperature, port 8`will not be uncovered and little or no water will flow from the faucet. This in particular differentiates my device from all others. The gas will now How freely to the main burners and be ignited by the pilot light and 4combustion at maximum eliiciency will take place. As soon as the water reaches the predetermined temperature, the inner thermostat Atube 21 will expand, and, the porce lain rod 23 being but little affected, will move slightly to the left, allowing the center ofthe floating lever 28 to finove down and the water valve 7 to partly uncover the por`tr8 so that a small amount of water will As the temperature uniform temperature, the quantity of water being automatically varied in Iaccordance with the amount of heat produced by the burners. The burners will continue to burn at their` full capacity and'greatest efficiency, which is not the case with other water heaters.

If the faucet is opened only part way or for any other reason the water does not flow as fast as it is heated, the gas valve automatically closes more or less so that there will be no great variation from the desired water temperature. In the arrangement of my invention in which the water valve 7 and piston 9 are in separate chambers, the regulating or closing of the gas valve 36 is caused by the equalization of the water pres sure on the two sides of the piston, due-to the water valve entirely uncovering the main port at a time when 'only a small amount of water is flowing. In the arrangement'illustrated the gas valve is regulated partly as above described and partly by the direct action of the thermostat in lowering the floating lever 28 and allowing the spring 38 to close the gas valve 36 as far as may be required to keep the outflow-ing water at the desi-red temperature, In an eXtreme case the piston 9 and the water valve 7 may `m'o've down until they are stopped by the screw 47 and further heating of the thermostat would then lower the right end of the floating lever 28 and permit the gas valve 36 to close shut ting off the gas.`

At any time` during the above described operation, if the faucet is closed the pressures on the two sides of the piston. 9 are immediately equalized allowing the spring`-38 to move the piston 9 and water valve 7 upward sufhciently to close the gas valve y36.

If it is preferred that some water should flow froin the faucet whether it has reached the desired temperature or not, it is only necessary to raise the stop screw 46 vso. that the initial movement of the piston will uncover the main port '8 to any desired eX- tent. f

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an automatic water heater, a burner to heat the water, a valve to control the burner, a water motor to operate the valve, a balanced water valve so constructed that the water pressure in the .opening direction is practically equal to the water pressure in the closing direction, said balanced water -valve being so located as to regulate 'and fully control the quantity of water heated, a thermostat responsive to the temperature of the water, and means operatively connecting the thermostat with the balanced water valve. Y

2. In an automatic water heater, a coil-'for heating water under pressure, "automatic means Afor heating the #'cil and Vthe Vwater lao therein, a Water chamber, a port therein, a valve adapted to close said port and prevent flow of Water through said coil, and a thermostatic means adapted to operate said valve by moving it transverse to thev direction of the Water pressure to open said port in response to heat and establish alovs7 of Water through said coil.

3., In an automatic Water heater, a pipe conveying the Water to be heated, a burner for heating the Water in the pipe, automatic means for bringing the burner into action When an outlet of the pipe is opened, a port through which the Water passes, a valve adapted to slide over said port and regulate the area of the Water-Way, a thermostat and means actuated thereby for operating said valve to regulate the How of Water Jfrom the pipe and proportion it to the capacity of the burner.

4i. In an automatic Water heater, a Water valve, means connected therewith to balance said Water valve and make it independent of the Water' so that the force required to move it WilLbe the same under all Water conditions, Ia thermostatic mechanism responsive to the temperature of the Water and adapted to operate said valve, a burner for heating the Water, and means for automatically bringing the burner into action.

5. In an `automatic Water heater, a coil conducting Water through the heater, a burner for heating said coil, means for bringing the burner into operation, a thermostat in a portion of t-he coil exposed to the heat of the burner, a valve adapted to regulate and completely control the flow of Water through said coil, and means actuated by the thermostat for operating said valve.

6. In an automatic Water heater, a-burner to heat the Water, a water motor to control the burner, a thermostat in a portion of the Water which is directly exposed to the heat of the burner, and a Water valve operated by the thermostat and adapted to prevent the flow of cold Water from the heater until the Water has been heated by the burner to' a predetermined temperature.

7 In an Iautomatic Water heater, a burner,

a thermostat in the heat zone thereof, means actuated by the thermostat for controlling the volume of Waterflovving from the heater` and proportioning it to the capacity of the burner, and a Water pressure operated device for controlling the burner independent ot the thermostat. y

8. In an automatic Water heater, having a casing, a burner Within the casing to heat the Water, automatic means for bringing the burner into action, a thermostat inside the casing, and a Water valve operated by the thermostat adapted to stop the flow of Water from the heater While the Water is below the predetermined temperature and to establish a flow of Water from the heater when the Water has been heated by the burner to the predetermined temperature.

9. In an automatic Water heater, a burner to heat the Water, a gas supply for the burner, a gas valve for the gas supply, a Water motor to operate the gas valve, a Water valve for regulating the temperature of the Water independently of changes in the gas supply by varying the quantity of Water coming Within the heat zone of the burner, and a thermostatic means responsive' toI the temperature of the Water adapted to regulate the Water valve in accordance With the temperature, both the Water valve Iand the thermostat being adapted to operate independently of changes of Water pressure and independently of the elasticity of the metal of which the parts are made.

10. In an automatic Water heater, a cold Water inlet pipe, a hot'water outlet pipe, and a thermostatic means so constructed that the stresses in the moving parts are independent of the Water pressures adapted to regulate the Water pressure in the hot Water outlet pipe While the heater is in operation independent of the pressure in the cold Water pipe and means for automatically'l supplying heat when the pressure in the hot -vvater outlet pipe is less than that in the cold Water inlet pipe.

11. In an automatic Waterheater, a thermostat, a Water valve adapted toy operate independent of Water flow and free from self moving tendency, said thermostat and Water valve being operatively connected and adapted to compensate for changes in WaterpresT sure and automatic means for bringing the heater into operation.

l2. In an automatic Water heater, a

close said Water valve vvhen the Water falls .below a predetermined temperature, and

means adapted to conduct heat to said thermostat when no water is flowing from the heater, a burner, and a Water pressure operated means adapted to keep the burner in full operation as long as a hot Water outlet isv open.

14. In an automatic Water heater, a Waterl motor, means operated thereby for supplying heat, a valve adapted to stop the iiovvof izo Water from the heater, a thermostat independent of the Water motor, and means operatively connecting the thermostat to the Water valve to stop the How of Water .when

cold and to establish the flow of Water When hot.

15. In van automatic Water heater, a burner for heating the Water, means for automatically bringing the burner into action, a thermostat operative When no Water is flowing, and a Water valve 'operated thereby and adapted to prevent the flow of cold Water from the heater and to establish a flow of Water from the heater when the burner has heated the Water to the predetermined temperature.

. 16. In an automatic Water heater, a burner for heating the Water, a Water valve, a Water motor operative When the Water valve is closed adapted to automatically bring the burner into action upon the opening of a hot Water outlet, a thermostat operative When no Water is flowing, and means operated by the thermostat t0 open the Water valve and establish a iow of Water from the heater When the burner has heated the Water to a predetermined temperature.

17 In an automatic Water heater, a coil for-heating the Water, a burner for heating the coil and the Water therein, a 'Water pressure operated device Jfor bringing the burner into action, a Water valve, and a thermostat operative When the Water valve is closed, for the purpose of opening said Water valve when the burner has heated the Water in the coil and of increasing and regulating the flow of Water through the coil to the full capacity of the burner.

18. In an automatic Water heater, a Water valve, a thermostat responsiveto the temperature of the Water in the heater and operative When the Water valve is closed, the Water valve and thermostat being operatively connected and adapted to prevent liow of cold Water from the heater and automatic means for supplying heat to the Water in the heater.

19. In an automatic Water heater, a Water motor responding to the difference of Water pressure upon opposite sides thereof, a gas valve operatively connected therewith, a. thermostat responding to the temperature of the Water, a Water valve having no tendency to 'open with the flow, and means for operating said valve, the said means being actuated both by the Water thermostat.

`20. In a Water heater, the combination of a Water motor, a Water valve for governing the flow or Water positively, operated by said motor, and a thermostat for moving the Water valve independent of the Water motor.

21. In an automatic Water heater, a Water motor actuated by varying Water pressure,

la Water valve, a metallic thermostat, the said Water valve being actuated toward open position directly by the Water motor, and by motor and the the thermostat to a more open position to increase the flow of Water corresponding to the increasein temperature in the Water.

22. In an automatic Water heater, a Water motor, a Water valve operatively connected to said Water motor, land a thermostat adapted to limit the vopening of said Water valve by the Water motor When below the predetermined temperature and permit it to open further as the temperature rises.

23. In an automatic Water heater, the combination of heating means, means actuated by diference or Water pressure orestablishing a lovv of 'fuel to the heating means and for establishing a limited flow of Water through the heater, and means actuated by the temperature for regulating the amount of said flow oit' Water through the heater in accordance With the capacity of theheating means and independently of the Water pressure.

24. In a Water heater, a movable member, a Water valve, initially operated thereby, and temperature actuated means to automatically 'further open said valeve to supply a proportionately greater volume or' Water to the heater commensurate With the -increased elevation at WhichA the Water is drawn.

25. In a Water heater, a burner, a gas' valve, and thermostatic means for automatically controlling the further movement in the same direction of said Water motor to open the Water valve.

26. In a Water heater, a burner to heat the Water, a thermostat, a Water valve opened automatically by the joint action of a diilerence in Water pressure and increase in temperature orp the Water, in combination With a 'fuel valve opened by the joint action of said difference in Water pressure and decrease in temperature o' the Water. i

27. In a Water heater, a fuel valve, a Water valve, a difference of Water pressure controlled means to open the fuel valve and tend to open the Water valve, and a temperature controlled means to open said Water lvalve in response to heat and to tend `to close said gas valve.

28. In a Water heater, the combination of a Water valve, a gas valve, and a thermo static means 'for moving one of said valves in the opening direction and the other of said valves in the closing direction.

29. In an automatic Water heater, a thermostat, a gas valve and a Water valve interconnected by a lever, the said lever having three bearing points connected respectively to the thermostat, gas valve and Water valve, so that each of the threel bearing points,' at any instant when itis stationary,

acts as a fulcrum to enable a second to actuate the third.

30. In an automatic water heater, a water motor, a thermostat and a gas valve operatively interconnected, and a power kdevice for holding the water motor, gas valve and thermostat in normal position.

3l. In an automatic water heater, a water motor, a thermostat and a water valve, operatively interconnected, and a power device for holding said water motor, thermostat and water valve in normal position.

32. In an automatic water heater, a thermostat, a water valve and a gas valve, interconnected, and a power device for holdsigned my name in the ing said thermostat, water valve and gas valve in normal position.

33. In a water heater, a themnostatic means for automatically controlling the flow of water through the heater, and means for converting` said thermostatic means into means for automatically controlling the flow of gas.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto presence of two subscribing witnesses. v

GILBERT S. WALKER.

In the presence of- CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS, JAMES C. HERRON. 

